Say What, Bill O'Reilly?

Last week, Bill O'Reilly started a poop storm of controversy when he said America's Sweetheart, Jennifer Aniston, was destructive to society when she said that women are beginning to realize that they don't need to settle with a man to have a baby.  I paraphrase that quote so please don't try to correct me if it's not exact.  For those of you who fast forward through your commercials on TIVO and don't see the previews for new movies, she was referring to the situation in her new film, "The Switch" where a woman of "only a few eggs left" age goes through the process of artificial insemination.  Anyway, he went on a rant about how she's poorly influencing young girls (12 and 13 year olds) and undermining the roll of fathers in today's society.  First, I don't know how many tweens can afford artificial insemination.  I'm 37 with a full time job and having a hard time doing it.  Second, she wasn't telling those listening to her interview that she thinks females around the globe should just go get sperm injections because having a man around is a big hassle.  Hell, getting pregnant is 62.3% of the fun (some people say half the fun, I'm shooting a little higher).  She was saying quite the opposite, actually.  She (Aniston & me for that matter) believes that the ideal situation is a two parent scenario with people of a mature age but that is not always how the cookie crumbles.

I look around at a lot of my friends and acquaintances that are parents and often wonder if they aren't single parents themselves.  Please don't think that these next examples of instances I've witnessed are man bashing, I adore men, it's just observations.  I see women with full time jobs doing the following things:  getting up, making coffee for her and said spouse, cooking breakfast, getting the kids up, ironing the kids' clothes, ironing the spouse's clothes, ironing her clothes, feeding the kids, making sure the homework is done and in the backpack, shoving the kids out the door and bringing them to school (or putting them on the bus), going to work, picking the kids up from school, running them to the 10 gazillion things the have to do (i.e. ball, dancing, piano, gymnastics, etc.) going to the grocery store to buy food for the week to make meals, making the meal, doing homework with the kids, rounding them up to take baths, making sure everything is ready for tomorrow, putting them to bed and finally going to bed herself but not before her husband nudges her to prove that he is, indeed, a sex god then he gets pissy because she's too tired to experience the trip to Blisstown that he's offering her.  This may not be everyone's life but I've heard tale of it from a lot of women and if this is the life you've chosen then FANTASTIC but how is doing all that any different from being a single mother?  Beside going to Blisstown with a sex god, that is.  Now guys, don't think that I don't appreciate what you do but believe me, there are some of you who are living the Life of Riley sitting around with a woman that can bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan and never ever let you forget you're a man.

It's tough being a mom.  Many will tell you THE toughest job on the planet and I firmly believe it.  So why would anyone take this job lightly and want to go into it alone?  I'll give you a first hand explanation as to why.  When I was younger, I never believed that at this point in my life I would still be single and not have children.  When you live in the south it's what you do...you get married and start having them babies.  It's the circle of life.  Thank God for me, that expectation from society is changing so hopefully I don't look like that big of a freak.  The thing is, there are no prospects of a feasible spouse or "baby daddy" in my short term future and I'm running short on time.  I'm gonna have to take matters into my own hands or the squirter of a turkey baster and deal with this situation the best way I know how.  Do I think I'll make a good parent?  Lord, I hope so.  Would I prefer to have a partner to go on this journey with me?  100% yes.  Do I have a partner to go on this journey with me?  Sadly, no.  I've heard different opinions on this subject from all those that I'm close to.  Some are 100% for it and will support me no matter what, some think I need to wait it out and see what happens because a kid needs two parents, and some have gone through divorce and recommend the route I'm taking is the easiest because of the simple fact that it is just me and the precious angel.  I don't take parenthood lightly and look at those with children as possessing one of the greatest things that God can give and quite frankly, yes, I am jealous.  There, I said it.  Happy?

So I ask, would you think I'm being "destructive" to society if I become a single parent?  Be honest.  I'm just like the FOX News Network-Fair and Balanced.  Well, not really, but for blogsake let's act as if that were true.  Bill O'Reilly thinks that all social mores go out the window when a woman makes this decision.  All this coming from a man who was sued for sexual harassment.  You tell me, people, what's more destructive:  a woman wanting to have a child, one of life's greatest joys or a man who uses his power to have naughty time with underlings in the workplace?